plasticcontainers

only

glassbottles and jars

only

metal cans, lids and foil

only

paper, cardboard(flattened)

and cartons only

NOT FOR USE AS A LABEL: Rhode Island’s official mixed recycling container labels are copyright and trademark protected by Recycle Across America®. Public and private entities should contact Resource Recovery for labels.

empty at a minimum, rinsed whenever possible

Put these items in the trash as well, and your recycling will be SUPERB!

NO wet-strength paper or cardboard:

- fridge or freezer boxes (e.g. six-pack carriers, frozen pizza boxes) - paper cups (e.g. coffee, soup) - powdered detergent boxes - kitty litter boxes - parchment or wax paper

NO sticker, contact, photo or carbon paper

NO rigid cardboard tubes (i.e. those you can’t flatten)

NO paper pieces smaller than a 3” x 5” index card

NO coated foil (e.g. yogurt lids, juice pouches, candy wrappers)

NO plastic containers ≤ 2” in diameter and height, or ≥ 5 gallons

NO plastic containers that crinkle or tear (e.g. seedling trays)

NO plastic containers that shatter or splinter (e.g. CD cases)

NO plastic containers labeled “compostable” or “biodegradable”

NO items made of equal amounts of different materials

Follow these tips and your recycling will be SUPERB!

YES, keep recycling covered to protect from rain/snow

YES, keep recycling loose in bins/carts (i.e. not inside of bags)

YES, flatten boxes and cut down pieces to ≤ 3’ x 5’ x 1’

YES, keep paper flat (i.e. don’t bunch up into balls)

YES, keep paper sheets intact (i.e. don’t rip up into tiny pieces)

YES, rinse containers whenever possible

YES, scrape out as much peanut butter as you can

YES, store containers like detergent upside down to empty fully

YES, snip tail end off plastic tube containers to empty fully

YES, put plastic tops back on plastic containers before recycling

YES, take metal tops off of glass first, then recycle separately

YES, keep containers shapely (i.e. don’t crush flat)

YES, bunch up clean aluminum foil to give it shape

YES, keep broken glass out of recycling that’s emptied by hand

no more than a trace of

food or beverage

residue

no plastic bags, bags of

bags, or recycling

inside of bags

no paper shreds,

napkins, tissues, or

paper towels

no metal that isn’t a

can, lid, or foil

(e.g. pans)

no glass that isn’t a bottle or jar

(e.g. drinking glasses)

no plastic that isn’t a container

(e.g. hangers)

no foam containers

no fiber that isn’t paper, cardboard

or cartons (e.g. textiles or wood)

These items do not belong in your recycling bin or cart

Containers for mixed recycling in Rhode Island vary in color and size. If you’re unsure of which container to use, ask your city or town’s Department of Public Works, property owner, or property manager.

Follow these guidelines and you’ll be a SUPER recycler! Too much information? Download our basic guidelines at RecycleTogetherRI.org.

Date of Publication: August 2017

For information on recycling, composting, or disposal of other items, visit RIRRC.org.

no containers from

flammable materials or

oily chemicals